Concept graphics
The Buddhist term “Perfect Interfusion of the Six Characteristics" discusses the mutual correspondence of “universality” and “particularity”, “identicality” and “difference”, “integration” and “disintegration” of all existence.
Concept renderings
I first create the vase-shaped sculpture with the bottom part and five branches interlaced with each other to find one way to visualize "Perfect Interfusion of the Six Characteristics." Each tube represents each characteristic and the entirety of the piece represents "universality," the sixth characteristic.
Prospective sketch
The vase-shaped sculpture
Then I create animated 3D ants to walk along each tube: They will enter the tube from one end and exit from the other, walk along the exterior of the tube to the other end, and repeat. At some point, some ants will migrate to other tubes where the tubes meet; thus, they deviate from their route. This can be reflected to humans as we live on our own life cycle, but also interact with other people's life. When the ant is walking inside the tube, it is hidden from the plain view, like how humans also hide some of their characters from others' plain view.
Walking route example
3D ants
I use photogrammetry to scan the sculpture, the digital image is for the later video projection.
The final result is an animation of ants walking being projected on my ceramic sculpture by using three projectors, with immersive sound made by me.
The sculpture is presented omnidirectionally.
Demo